


By my side

by clumsykitty



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Dorks in Love, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Post Civil War, Protective Bucky Barnes, Secret Relationship, Secret love, Smut, Winteriron Reverse Bang 2018, before infinity war, mcu - Freeform, winteriron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-29
Updated: 2018-10-29
Packaged: 2019-08-09 15:40:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16452716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clumsykitty/pseuds/clumsykitty
Summary: Tony and Bucky are in a relationship that no one knows. They must struggle with the difficulties of being apart and later, fight each other like perfect strangers with a broken heart until the time and the distance is too much to bear.





	By my side

**Author's Note:**

> I want to say "thanks" to my beloved HeroSkatman for let me be in this story, for his patience and cheers. We have good times on this project and now we can say, "we did it!".
> 
> Thanks to the mod for the WRB for let us work on the event. My first time writing this couple in English. Thank you so much.

## In many ways, the art of love is largely the art of persistence. – Albert Ellis

## Absence sharpens love. Presence strengthens it. – Thomas Fuller

 

* * *

 

 

“Dammit.”

Bucky rose up from the bed, looking at the window where a bird hit the glass and flew away after that, scared as the soldier who lost his erection just in the right time. He sighed before turning his head towards his lover with an apologetic smile to him.

“I’m sorry, doll.”

“Don’t be, come here. Let me help you with that.”

They were supposed to make love in that cheap hotel but being a fugitive of the law didn’t help with their encounters, hidden from the public view without no one to support them. Who could? He was an ex-assassin and for the records, one of the worst. Have for lover an Avenger could be considerate like a blasphemy. All the money that Tony Stark got never could buy the public opinion, maybe change it a little but the whole word always will think of James Buchanan Barnes as someone to deserve to die for their crimes.

“You’re overthinking, my love.”

“I… couldn’t help. Sorry.”

“Stop saying that. Let me kiss you.”

Barnes returned to Tony’s arms, embracing him with sloppy kisses and letting the worries at the side for the next hours, devouring that mouth that tasted like heaven between coffee and apple, sweet and strong flavor as his skin. He caressed the rounded scar where once an Arc Reactor was, kissing it after with devotion, licking a nipple with more enthusiasm. Stark smiled, brushing his soldier’s long hair and tugging him to his lips again. They meet each other in the most ridiculous way when the billionaire got lost in an Istanbul’s street and the Lady Luck made a kid stole his Starkphone as his wallet because he was too distracted trying to catch a suspect. So, he entered a coffee shop and hit someone on his way to the bar, that person was Bucky and he was lost again when he saw that face walking between the clients, trying to not call the attention.

“Antoshka…”

“Ssshhh, let’s go back to business.”

He chased the soldier and finished in an old house where he was hiding. Tony was very determinate to know how in the hell the right hand of Captain America was alive with a face like a grumpy cat. He didn’t rest until they talked or better say, he made Bucky talk about him. Stark was suspicious of Roger’s attitude since he returned from Washington with all that mess behind his patriotic back. The tall blonde man was evasive with him and Natasha only smiled and said any stupid thing to distracted him from the real problem. When James spoke about his encounter with his friend or at least with the person that he used to know, the genius started to join the pieces. Of course, Barnes and he fought, almost kill each other because the soldier was more unstable than a plutonium atom. That fucking Winter Soldier program was something to hate until the end of the universe.

After a long time trying to be polite and comprehensive with Barnes, they started to be friends once Tony discovered the cursed files of HYDRA that Romanoff released in the web after Washington’s mission. Witness James’s fall and his cries broke the billionaire heart, maybe more than his parent’s death because let’s be honest, Tony wasn’t very attached to his father, only to his mother and even with all the hate against the soldier, he couldn’t take revenge because the hand that took María’s life wasn’t the same that covered a sad face full of regret tears. He couldn’t. They stopped talking and meeting for a while until the genius got exasperated from the whole situation because Steve never said anything as a friend was supposed to do. Bucky told him everything he remembered until that moment without thinking.

“I love you.”

“I know.”

“Han Solo line?”

“When you can understand my reference, I got horny.”

“Kitten…”

When did they start to be lovers? Heavens known. One day he was making a little cruel joke about Bucky and that December and the next day they were kissing as if tomorrow the world could end. Crazy, hell yeah. No logic, of course. But since James started to join into his life, Tony was extremely happy that everybody asked him if he was in drugs or something. Tony was in love since the good days with Pepper and that was the only thing that he needed. Make love was another hard step because Bucky memories were shattered and traumatized enough with bad issues, so the billionaire took his time to clean his mind and body from those ghosts. Something that made Stark be proud, not because he wanted the soldier between his legs but to see that bright smile one morning in Bucharest where he found a little place for his lover until they could resolve the mess with HYDRA and the Washington mission with the UN. Watch his lover feel truly alive was the best gift.

“Antoshka, you’re out.”

“No, I’m thinking of you.”

“Something good?”

“Something better.”

Bucky smiled in that way that made Tony’s heart fluttered before kissing him with tender, caressing all his body with both hands, searching for that semi-erection between them while the genius looked after the missing lube somewhere in the mess of the bed. Sometimes he wanted to make it raw and quick, but James never accepted, the soldier always treated his body as a temple to adore and show a respect that no one ever showed him before, making him cried of happiness. The lick on his hard dick made the genius moan and tremble in anticipation, spreading his legs to help Barnes to prepare him again, tugging a little his long hair to hurry him up. James growled and looked at him amused, licking very slowly the tip in front of his mouth to make the billionaire arched off the bed, hissing and kicking a little because he didn’t want to finish right there.

“Newton had forbidden it, James! Hurry up!”

“Patience is a virtue, doll.”

“And everybody knows that I’m not a virtue man.”

To protect Barnes’ location, they met in different places around Europe, sometimes in the Middle East if the political situation wasn’t so bad to have two American walking in the lonely streets outside from the touristic route. Something that James didn’t like because he dragged his handsome genius in those manners of being hidden and afraid of almost everything. Tony never said a word about it even when they had to escape two or three times from the Special Forces or UN Agents. He loved his soldier so much that he risked everything for him, including his reputation and money. Sometimes Bucky asked himself if he wasn’t dreaming in the cryogenic chamber in HYDRA or maybe he was dead and that was a hallucination, he was so happy that some days he needed the reassurance of his lover to be sure about his companion and love promises.

Tony kissed him hard when he was in with one single slow motion, gasping at the feeling of his tight channel, warm and wet from his earlier activities. Giving at him some time to adjust, James put part of his weight on his arms and elbows, using his tongue to drive crazy Tony, stealing his air to see him take deep breaths with a dark blush on his cheeks. That messy hair complemented the look that Bucky loved, smiling at him, brushing his neck using his nose, giggling when the genius’s skin shivered at the touch while those hands hold tight on him as legs captured his hips. One push and a long way out between chased kisses to torture the body under him until he heard that voice of command order to move, or he will call a snail because it was faster than him. James laughed a little and move quicker, giving a small bite on that arched neck that was offered when he spotted the right angle and made Tony jumped.

“Right there, baby?”

“… cking t-there… heavens… aaahhh… James… James… James…”

“Hold on me, kitten.”

They move as one, gasping and moaning between fierce kisses until Stark screamed Bucky’s name and finished with his back making an arch and the soldier bit his shoulder, leaving a mark which will endure for a week at least but in a hidden place to cover with a shirt. He hated that, not be able to show his love for Tony to the world, be with him in those conferences and protect him from the hard comments and vicious questions. One day, he told himself while he was breathing against his lover’s neck, one day he will punch those bastards and made a position. Tony caressed his hair, kissing his shoulder that tapped after, calling his name with a hoarse voice. Bucky raised his head and looked at him, touching his cheek with his fingers.

“What’s up, Antoshka?”

“I’m going to a conference at the MIT.”

“And you told me this now?”

Stark lowed his head. “I’m sorry, but it’s something that is bothering me. I don’t want to leave you for so long time… I…”

“It’s okay, Tony. Just… don’t lose your head with that.”

“You know that is more and more difficult to me being so long apart from you.”

“Yeah, I know, but I prefer having my lover calm and happy and not hysterical for a conference. What’s the deal with that?”

“I…”

“Yes?”

“Maybe Pepper is going to be with me. It’s for María Stark Foundation and…”

“Sshh, Tony. You don’t have to explain that, it’s your company and projects.”

“Yeah, but still. The newspapers will make some titles.”

“While they don’t catch you kissing Pepper both naked I’m fine.”

“Hilarious.”

“How long…?”

“Maybe a week, I hope.”

“Okay, I’ll be waiting for you.”

“Sap.”

“For you, always, kitten.”

“Please, be careful, the Special Forces are in Europe, something about a UN meeting.”

“Do you forget that I’m a ghost? A tale?”

“That’s no fun, James.”

“Sorry, I’ll be extremely careful, and you won’t kill anyone of the press. We have a deal, okay?”

“I love you.”

“And I love you so much, but I need to hear it anyway.”

“I will behave, pleased master?”

“Yes, kitten.”

Tony smiled, shaking his head. “For Einstein’s mustache, I love you so much that hurts.”

“I love you so much to die for you.”

 

 

 

They made plans after that conference.

 

They will start with Barnes trial.

 

They made plans.

 

 

But those plans never made real.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

It wasn’t anybody’s fault, and at the same time, it was everybody’s fault. Suddenly, Bucky was chased like the enemy public number one because he apparently put a bomb in a UN conference in Vienna where king T’Chaka died and the world lost his mind. Steve appeared from nowhere, the Special Forces appeared from nowhere and Tony had to disappear for his own good. They saw each other until Zemo said those fucking words and James became the Winter Soldier, so things got worse in the airport, and later in Siberia. Bucky was feeling like he was falling into a rabbit hole without a parachute and no one couldn’t help him because nobody was listening. Talk about Howard and María was very different from to witness his murder by his own hands, he was crying because there was no escape from the fight that he was trying to avoid, and the presence of Steve didn’t help. He loved his brother and friend but sometimes like right there James needed to speak and being alone with Tony even if his lover finished killing him.

He tried to stop Tony, he tried to stop Steve, in the end, he fought against his lover and lost an arm as his happiness as well. His throat was closed tight, seeing his lover in the frozen ground alone while Steve was carrying him far away. James didn’t know where the mistake was, and he refuses to speak with all of them, the fugitives. He was angry with himself and the idiots that never gave him the chance to defend his own fucking person. For his luck, Wakanda’s jungle was a big place to get lost and avoid Steve and the other until his rage passed away. T’Challa talked with him, giving him space to heal not only from his battle injuries. Some of the king’s counselors told him about Tony distance from the public view and he read some international newspapers about Pepper Potts walking in Stark Industries back as CEO and maybe something else. Bucky cried.

“Buck…”

“Don’t talk to me, Steve. Don’t even think about it.”

“You can’t be like this.”

“Watch me.”

“I was trying to protect you!”

“Yeah? From what? From the crimes I indeed committed? The trial that is waiting for me? Now, If I put a foot outside this country I will be shoot! What lovely from you, Steve!”

“Why are you like this?”

He couldn’t answer because it was supposed to be a secret, but Barnes wasn’t sure now if he still was Tony’s lover. There is no way to write or send a message to him without revealing their relationship to his friends and every person involved in that mess. He didn’t want to be rude with his stupid friend, but he was being torn from inside, lost his metallic arm didn’t hurt as much as remember Tony lying with a broken heart in Siberia, so far from his protective arms, so far from his explanations and comfort. And everybody wanted him to be cheerful and happy in Wakanda. Bucky accepted Shuri’s help to be free from the Winter Soldier program, but not for the reason they thought, he remained in silence about his love for his genius so hurt somewhere in New York, fixing other people’s problems. He wanted to be saner for him, to have the right responses when the times come and maybe got the chance that in the past he was refused. 

James never expected the incoming message in his computer one night that he was trying to distract himself, surfing the web without any predilection. He frowns when he saw the notification because Steve sent him a message earlier morning and the Cap wasn’t a fan of more than one email per week. The soldier supposed it came from Wilson, a joke as usual and opened the email to read it, being prepared to saw something gross or a stupid image. For his surprise it was from Tony, hacking Wakanda’s net and writing him a small message that made Bucky’s eyes started to get wet.

 

_We need to talk. Do you miss me?_

He took a deep breath before wrote back.

_I love you, Antoshka. I’m lost without you._

 

A few words but he knew that his lover could understand. They started to communicate like this, by encrypted email. First, they talk about the footage that Zemo gave Tony in Siberia. Bucky put his heart in the apologies, daring to ask if they still lovers or not. He lost his appetite because for two long days he didn’t receive any answer, peeking almost every hour his laptop for an incoming message that never appeared until the third day. He read another long email with Tony’s thoughts about the incident, the hurt for Steve’s liar and the video at least. As he well knew, the billionaire already forgave him because they talked a long time ago about the incident, and even with the shocking view of the footage, Tony was mad with Steve not with him. The most important, he still was in love and Bucky felt like an idiot to say about Pepper’s presence, but he was very jealous and that was something important to him.

 

_I sense some jealousy here, soldier._

_No fucking way._

_Pepper is only helping me with control damage._

_Glad to read._

_Aw, my grumpy cat._

_I love you._

_You know? I love you too, idiot._

 

Speak with Tony made Bucky friendlier with Steve and his other friends. One day when the Cap returned to Wakanda from a mission, he asked him a minute alone to talk. James gave him thanks for protecting him and apologized next for his rude manners since they arrived at Wakanda. Steve was a puppy and forgave him at the instant when he heard his sorry. Wilson and Natasha did the same with a broad smile. They thought that Shuri’s intervention on his mind was responsible for his new attitude and once again, he lied to them. He was getting desperate but Tony request him more time to get thing clear and finally started to put everything in order. So, Bucky waited until then, calmer and worker with his little goats jumping around him while he helped Wakanda’s farmer with the fields and their houses. One day Shuri asked him if he’d noticed something in the kingdom’s net and he put his best face to say that he never saw anything weird.

“Maybe it’s just a bug.”

“A clever one, I have to say.”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness, I can’t help you.”

“Mmm, well, it’s nothing. Thank you, Bucky.”

Of course, that someone like princess Shuri will be noticed an intrusion in her systems, but as smart as she was, she didn’t say anything to give the soldier a chance to speak with his lover because James told her about his relationship with Tony. If she was cleaning his mind it was obvious that at some point she will know about them, so, was better to tell that must wait until it was too late to hide. And he didn’t want that. Hide. Bucky was tired of hiding and run. The following messages started to be more… kinky. The billionaire wasn’t a shy person about his sexual appetites and James blushed hard when Tony sent very scandalous pictures of himself, with words about how much he missed their intimates’ moments and other things that made the soldier horny and desperate to see him. His lover knew what he was doing but Barnes hoped with all his hear that Shuri never intended to hack and see their emails contents because he will never see her in the eyes again.

 

_Why are doing this?_

_Do what, handsome?_

_You know what I mean._

_No, I don’t. I am a lonely man missing his grumpy and horny cat._

 

One day, T’Challa invite them all for a meeting in the Royal Palace, he told them that Tony Stark and Wakanda were working hard to put to revision the Sokovia Accords. For the moment, they win the first trial, and the demands on them that General Ross put in the first place were objected by an international tribunal. They couldn’t leave Wakanda yet, but at least Barton and Lang were able to see their families with a domiciliary arrest that they will take away later. Maybe the best part was that Tony will be in Wakanda for a group meeting to resolve all the misunderstandings and talk very long with Captain Rogers. Bucky was speechless, and he thought a little egocentric for his part that many of those efforts coming from the genius were made with only one intention: to see him. Maybe was wrong about it but the feeling at the idea brought a shy smile on his face.

“That wasn’t bad, isn’t Buck?”

“What will happen exactly, Steve?” Asked Bucky, trying his best to not show his enthusiasm.

“I really don’t know but I am happy to talk with Tony, there are many things that I want to say.”

“Don’t take me wrong but I think that every one of us must say apologies to him. He cleans our mess, Steve, and I’d heard some mouth said awful things against a man that now is fighting for us without expecting nothing in return. _Thanks_ will work perfectly.”

“He won’t hurt you, buddy.”

“Steve?”

“Yeah?”

“I am grown man, let me handle my own problems, okay?”

He counted the days until Tony’s arrival in Wakanda, passing his time in his treatment and the farms avoiding the Avengers because he didn’t want to be caught in his desperation. Bucky must wait in the distance from Wakanda’s airport to see that loved figure between the Dora Milaje and T’Challa, breaking a branch between his fingers because he couldn’t run and hug his lover. That official and first meeting took a few hours and later Okoye announced Tony’s presence in the Royal Palace with their meeting in the next day. Everybody got nervous and scared as well. Funny thing that they showed to him support because they were thinking that the billionaire will be shooting him at first sight with his full armor. His own state wasn’t helping either. It was sunset when he received a message from one of the little farm boys.

 

_Meet me in the South area before the jungle ASAP._

_You know who I am._

 

Of course, the hell he knew! He gave thanks to the boy and run to the South trying to appear calm, but his heart was racing as a crazy horse. He wanted to cry and shout but the remained silent all his way to the meeting point, where the city had empty streets. The fewer eyes the better. Once he arrived, he looked at himself because in his hurry he forgot to change clothes, he was wearing old jeans and his red shirt with hat and black jacket… almost as he was dressed in Germany. Too late to go back and change for something more formal. He was thinking in that when he heard a whistle that made his stomach jumped and his heart stopped. With a turn on his heels, Bucky walked to a dark alley as he was searching for something. After being sure that no one was watching him, he entered the alley and smiled broadly when Tony appeared from the shadows.

“Antoshka…” His throat was closed for the emotion, eyes stinging.

“James.”

“Kitten… oh, my God, Anthony…”

Both broke in tears, running to each other arms and finally kissed with anxiety. Tony touched Bucky’s face with trembling hands, smiling through the tears as the soldier hugged him tightly, kissing his brown hair, his wet cheeks, his lips, nose, eyes… every inch of his face with his hands running free at the billionaire sides. They were together once again, not in the best condition but at least with time enough to feel each other’s body.

“I missed you so much, doll, that it hurts.”

“I couldn’t sleep… I have nightmares.”

“Tony why didn’t say anything in your messages?”

“You couldn’t do too much about it and… besides, we started to talk and that calmed me at the nights without you.”

“I am so sorry, I should say something at that moment… I froze like a stupid coward.”

“We talked about this,” Tony kissed him tenderly, “and it’s okay now.”

“I missed you, I really missed you.”

“So, do I, James. And I need you now.”

Bucky blinked a little. “Antoshka… you…”

Tony giggled, pulling the soldier closer to him, biting his lower lip. “Now.”

“We need…”

“You already forget who your boyfriend is, don’t you?”

“Kitten, I… give the lube and let me handle the rest.”

“I love when you speak like that.”

Only Tony could achieve that master plan to get his soldier horny and have sex in the middle of the alley in Wakanda. And James loved him for that. He kissed the genius hard while pushing him until they hit a wall where the soldier saw a door that kicked without thinking twice about discretion or someone being inside, walking in. His hands sneaked through his body and put that elegant suit at the side as well his own, tossing the jacket and red shirt at the floor. If T’Challa will vanish them for his kingdom for inappropriate conduct, he will make it worth it. Between the messages and the pictures that made him have wet dreams in his little cottage, he needed to hear and feel Tony right now. Maybe the white shirt wouldn’t have all his buttons, but the jacket was safe on the container at their side. He almost kicked his boots while his arms touched Stark’s naked boy like a madman, a jealous one that soon was kissing Tony with passion and need, pushing his hips against the other and hissing at the feeling of their dicks making contact. James’s hand roamed his boyfriend butt, moaning and whispering silly words between the curses that had waited to be free on his lips after so many online temptations.

 

  

 

“Love you, Antoshka.”

“James, I need…”

“Ssshh…”

He dropped on his knees and took on his mouth Tony’s erection to suck him until his lover was pulling hard his long hair because he was about to explode inside his throat, moving his hips and gasping for air.

“Stop it… please, darling… I need you, please…”

“As you desire, doll.”

James licked his own lips before crashing them on the billionaire’s, taking that hard erection to made him moan and tremble and twisted on his heels, searching for the lube that he tossed minutes ago, growling for losing it. Tony laughed and move his body like a snake, his soldier felt desperate to take him, almost ripping the tube once he found it and covering his lover’s back with his warm and sweaty body, licking his back all the way from his buttocks until his neck. The genius shivered with a gasp, scratching the wall before his eyes where Bucky pushed him.

“Spread those legs and present for me, Antoshka.”

“All for you, my grumpy cat.”

Tony smiled in that special way, moving his butt against Bucky’s erection, both shivering at the sensation. James lowed his fingers, caressing the tender skin of that tiny hole and pushed one wet finger inside, his turn to smile when the genius opened his mouth and moaned so loudly that he thought about the people hearing them. But his soldier’s ear never caught anything, they’re alone in that room, hidden between high metal containers. Two fingers were now moving like scissors while Bucky kissed Tony’s shoulders, his free hand went back to his lover’s member and used his thumb and index finger to make him almost shout when his fingers found his special spot.

“I… aaahhhh… I swear over Marie Curie’ tomb… aahh… if you… don’t… yes, right there!”

“I got the message, baby.”

With one slow motion, Bucky pushed in, starting to move slowly because he couldn´t wait anymore, too tight and warm for his own trapped erection. Tony pull down his hair to kiss him, moving his hips to tell him that he was fine. Barnes hold him by his waist, kissing his neck and pumped with force, moaning on Tony’s hair, smiling and feeling so complete again. For the next minutes, nothing was more important than being one with his lover and hear those beautiful moans, gasps, mewls and shouts as the most perfect music ever played. His cadence accelerated between kissed and trembling bodies, his dick touching that spot and growling when Tony shivered and shout, finishing on his hand, squeezing him so hard until Bucky push hard and came inside his body, breathing quickly with one hand on the wall, supporting both after the shock of their orgasm.

“Holy…”

“… am a god… yeah… I know…”

“Kitten,” Bucky giggled, gasping on his neck, “you’re my everything.”

“Like you are to me, James. I missed this so much… and I don’t feel my legs.”

Bucky laughed. “I guess we need to rest for a while.”

“Carry me, love.”

“Once you let me go, kitten.”

“Damm, this feels so good.”

“Me inside you?”

“And making Wakanda a place to remember.”

“I missed you, Anthony. I was dying to see you again.”

“Fortunately, you didn’t because I want my lover back in my life.”

“Forever, Antoshka.”

“Forever, James.”

Tony was everything except looking as nothing happened once they got dressed and exit from the room in the alley. Deep inside, Bucky was sure that someone saw them, but soon that won’t matter if the next meeting was successful. They kissed once more, whispering the promise of being together in another chance and took different roads. It was nigh when the soldier went back to his small house in the farms, finding his friend Steve waiting for him, sat in his bed with a worried expression. Bucky felt uneasy but walked in and offered to his friend one of the desserts that the children brought to him in the week.

“Where were you being?” Steve frowned but accepted the dessert.

“I need to walk.”

“The whole afternoon?”

“Why are you here?”

“It’s… I need your advice.”

“You know that I am not okay of my mind, right?”

“Buck, please.”

“Okay, fine, fine,” James sighed, sitting at side Steve, “what’s up?”

“Do you think…? I mean, if Tony…”

“You crashed a plane in the Arctic to save the world, fought against Red Skrull, a dangerous robot, a fucking god and now you can’t talk with your friend?”

“He hates me, Buck.”

“Do you trust on me, Stevie?”

“Always.”

“Then, listen to me. He doesn’t hate you, but he’s hurt because you said that you hate liars first and in the next minutes you’re hiding something very important to him only because it was about me. Steve, I’m a criminal even if I don’t really do those things. It was me and nothing in this world is going to change that. Accept it, buddy. The consequences of those crimes will live within me until my death, and I’m okay with that. Sad, yes. A fucking nightmare, too. But it’s my life, not yours and I want the chance to fight my own demons with my best friend at my side, not with him taking the blame for me as if I was incapable to speak or think by my own. I want to live free, Steve, but no man can walk with proud if he’s using other’s pain as a shield. Let me handle my life and my decisions even if these put me in jail or…”

“Buck, no.”

“It’s my life, not yours. Do you understand that? You wanted me safe, thank you so much, I already told you that. But now you must work hard to win back Tony’s trust. He’s your friend too and I will be mad at you forever and ever if my friend runs like a chicken from this fight. You could be brave in Brooklyn, but you can’t talk to him now. What a progress for Steve Rogers.”

“And some things never change,” Steve smiled, “like my best friend kicking me to make his statement.”

“I care for you, champ, and I’m tired of these burns and guilts. One talk, one single and sincere talk can resolve this. We will have that in a few hours.”

“I don’t see you scared.”

“I lived decades scared until nothing remained inside my heart. I’m filling it with new feelings.”

“And that made me happy.”

“Now, be the man that Erskine and Peggy thought you are.”

“Thank you for being so kind and lovely with me,” Rogers joked.

“It’s my job because you’re a moron sometimes.”

“Will you be okay, Buck?”

“Yes. Now, I’m tired and you are stealing my bed. Get out.”

“I love you, too.”

“Whatever.”

Steve hugged him and stayed like that for a second, standing up later with a confused look.

“Buck… do you…?”

“What?”

“I think… I think you smell like Tony’s cologne.”

“You’re hallucinating. It’s late, Stevie, good night.”

“Don’t be late.”

“I’ll do my best.”

The smile in Barnes disappeared when Steve was gone, sniffling himself and coughing a little because indeed he had Tony’s smell. In the morning, the meeting was tense at first but slowly everybody spoke their minds and finally when lunch arrived, the Avengers were talking like the old times and finally Steve and Tony had their talk alone in other room. James walked around the place trying to not be so obvious, luckily, the rest thought that he was like that for Steve. Then, came his own reunion with the billionaire in other location because he wanted to give a gift to the soldier as a peace present. They went to one of the huge bedrooms in the palace where Bucky’s gift was waiting. A surprise for him, a new arm made of Vibranium. It was a collaboration between Shuri and Tony without the soldier knew a single word about it.

“So… you talked with princess Shuri before me?”

“Was necessary. Do you like it?”

“Antoshka… it’s amazing! And I feel a little jealous that my boyfriend talked with someone else instead of me.”

“Don’t pout, my grumpy cat. Come, let me kiss you.”

“Aren’t we supposed to be talking?”

“Yeah, that’s why we’ll use our tongues.”

Bucky laughed. “Come on here, doll, I need to hug you and adore you.”

“James?”

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“We’re going to tell the others about our relationship. It’s time.”

“… Anthony… I love you.”

“Hey, don’t cry!”

Barnes couldn’t help it, finally, their love will meet the sunlight. No more hidings or misunderstanding because the distance and people mixing in their conversations. The soldier didn’t get surprised when T’Challa offered a dinner for them and there Tony made the announcement, he planned it all as the genius that he was. The shock in the Avengers was something to remember, even Wilson coughed his wine when he heard that a philanthropist, billionaire, and handsome Tony Stark was in love with a soldier and ex-assassin with memory problems called James Buchanan Barnes. Maybe Steve was the most difficult to make understand, after all, his friend never told him about his relationship. James took the opportunity to cut the issue from the root.

“Now you see what is that someone dear lie to you. If I told you about Tony and I you’d surely tried to convince me to broke with him.”

“Well…”

“Anthony and I crossed that bridge a long time ago, buddy.”

“That’s why you smelled like his cologne… oh, my God.”

“The less you know, your mind will remain pure.”

“Jerk.”

“Punk. Are you still mad at us?”

“No, I’m just… speechless.”

“That’s the Stark-Barnes effect,” Tony said, entwined his fingers with Bucky.

Erase the Sokovia Accords will take other months to achieve it, meanwhile, they could live in Wakanda but now their visits and messages could be open to the others. Of course, the Avengers had their obstacles to accept completely their love because they were missing the time where they resolved their issues and their growing union from scratch. But time had helped them with that. Bucky talked with Steve and with T’Challa for a special favor when he met Tony again, two weeks later in his house in the farms to celebrate that UN decided to review the accords and put in standby Ross claims against the Avengers. The soldier made for his lover a special dinner, smiling when Stark enjoyed it like the spoiled brat that he was and later, they made love. Tony was moaning, one of his hands caressing Bucky’s face, closed eyes and open mouth with their legs tangled and moving fast. Distracted like that, James took the opportunity for his special gift, searching behind a pillow and licking that annular finger where he put the ring just in time to hit his lover’s spot to make him finish between a gasp and arching off the bed. Bucky stopped just to see Tony’s expression when he felt the little weight on his finger, raising his left hand to see the engagement ring made of Vibranium with a blue sapphire on it in the same shape as the Arc Reactor.

“What…?” Tony opened his eyes, stunned.

“Anthony Edward Stark, will you marry me?”

Stark gasped, his eyes watering when he looked at James, smiling and crying in happiness, pulling down his head to kiss him.

“YES! Of course! Yes! Yes! Yes! James! How…?”

“I have my own tricks too. Do you like it?”

“As much as I like your dick in me.”

“So romantic.”

“You’re still hard, and I wanted another round while I watch my beautiful ring that I am going to presume to everybody because now I’m off the market.”

“You’re off the market since you’re with me, doll.”

“But now it’s official,” Tony smiled, kissing Barnes again, “This… you always give me this kind of surprises.”

“I love you, Antoshka.”

“I love you, my grumpy cat. Now, made love to me and together let’s scare Wakanda farmers.”

Bucky laughed but accepted the mission. No more shadows or lies about them, finally he could do walk with Tony and protect him from the world. There was a business to attend and confront, but now they could do it together, without fear or remorse. After a long journey from the hate and guilt to the secrets and hidings until now, an engagement and the promise of a life together. With more battles, of course, new obstacles to jump but doing it hand to hand. Tony smiled as a sun rising on the final days of winter for Bucky and that’s all he needed to live.

 

 

**END.**


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